King of Pyrus
The King of Pyrus is the constitutional monarch of the Kingdom of Pyrus. The current monarch is King Celasin, who ascended the throne on the death of his father, Cunglas, on 22nd November 1776. The King of Pyrus and his immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial, diplomatic and representational duties. The ultimate formal executive authority over the government of the Kingdom of Pyrus is still by and through the King of Pyrus' royal prerogative, these powers may only be used according to the laws enacted by the Council of Ministers and Council of Nobles, as well as within the constraints of convention and precedence. The Kingdom of Pyrus was founded in 1553 by Molthrod who having secured victory in the Pyrusian Civil War proclaimed himself King of Pyrus, replacing the previous Grand Duchy of Pyrus. Despite various wars during the 16th and 17th centuries to establish and secure the Kingdom of Pyrus, the Kingdom did not expand territorially until the second half of the 18th century when the Kingdom of Anzio, Principality of Lihex, Kingdom of Greater Thanor, The Grand Duchy of Galumptia, Republic of Ature, The Southern Isles and the Northern Isles were conquered and incorporated into the Kingdom. Also during the second half of the 18th century the Kingdom had great imperial success adding territories around the world into the Pyrusian Empire, which meant that the King of Pyrus, now Emperor of the Pyrusian Empire, was nominally the head of a vast empire, rivalling that of the The Holy Hiraith Empire. History Religious Role Powers The monarch exercises his power, almost exclusively, by the issuing of letters patent. These are used as Letters Patent, Commissions, Warrants, Charters and Orders in Council. Royal Prerogative The royal prerogative is the personal power of the monarch. The success of Molthrod Derfel in the Pyrusian Civil War enabled him to become an all-powerful, absolute monarch in the sixteenth century. The regency of Queen Ulanar at the beginning of the seventeenth century weakened the absolute power of the Pyrusian monarchy; the nobles who supported the Queen Regent formed the basis of today's Council of Nobles. The Council of Noble's limited the Royal Prerogative by adding an additional way in which law could be made. While the judiciary makes common law and interprets the law, the Council of Nobles took the power to make Acts of Parliament, although these still require Royal Assent. The Crown continues to hold power to make law in the form of Orders in Council, basically decrees or edicts. The monarch retains the vast majority of power within the Kingdom of Pyrus; some specific areas where the monarch exercises his powers are detailed below. Legislature The Council of Ministers and the Council of Nobles can only assemble when called by the monarch. The monarch also dismisses parliament at his discretion. In reality, convention means that parliament is called and dismissed annually in time for the State Opening of Parliament. The King also selects the Leader of the Council of Ministers, although as the Council of Ministers approves the appointment of ministers to the Legitimate, it is necessary for the First Minister to command a majority of the council. No bill may become law until it has received Royal Assent, so effectively the monarch has a veto on the legislature's powers. Judiciary The monarch is seen as the fount of justice. He has the prerogative of mercy, eliminating the punishments and penalties related to a conviction, but not overturning the conviction. He can also choose to discontinue the prosecution of a case, although this does not mean that the case can not be brought before the courts at a later date and is certainly not an acquittal. The monarch is also immune from prosecution. Foreign Affairs The monarch has the power to recognise foreign states and governments, issues declarations of war and peace, and forms international treaties. The King has the right to annex and cede any territory. Another power is to grant, withhold or withdraw passports from subjects and to prevent people leaving the country. Awards and Honours The monarch as fount of honour and therefore has the power to grant all awards, honours, decorations and dignities within the Kingdom of Pyrus, currently all honours are at the discretion of the monarch. Military In relation to the Pyrusian Armed Forces, the monarch is Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Pyrusian Armed Forces. The Royal Prerogative allows the monarch to recruit members of the armed forces and grant warrants and commissions to its officers. As the sole authority for the armed forces the monarch's prerogative power can not be questioned in their organisation, disposition or control. Succession There are no restrictions in the Law of Pyrus regarding the succession to the throne of the Kingdom of Pyrus. Upon the death of the Sovereign, his heir immediately and automatically ascends to the throne. Although there is no official mechanism to announce the death of one Sovereign and the accession of another, usually the Court Physician announces the death of the Sovereign. A coronation is not necessary for the Sovereign to reign: indeed the ceremony often takes place many months after accession to allow sufficient time for its preparation and to allow a period of mourning. After an individual ascends to the throne, he reigns until death; there is no mechanism to allow a Sovereign to abdicate the position. Succession has been traditionally governed by male-preference cognatic primogeniture, under which sons inherit before daughters, and elder children inherit before younger ones of the same gender. It is assumed that only legitimate children can inherit, however no King of Pyrus has ever had an illegitimate child, to force the issue. The current line of succession to His Majesty King Celasin is: Coronation Finances Styles and Titles Arms The Royal coat of arms of the Kingdom of Pyrus, or Royal Arms for short, is the official coat of arms of the Pyrusian Monarch. The arms are used by the King in his official capacity as King of Pyrus. Variants of the Royal Arms are used by other members of the Royal Family and by the Government of the Kingdom of Pyrus. The Royal Arms were amended by His Majesty King Cunglas on 1st January 1773 when he became the first Emperor of the Pyrusian Empire. The eagle (the king of birds), both on the escutcheon and crest represents, according to heraldic legend, that the armiger is courageous, a man of action and judicious, while by having their wings displayed is indicative of the role of protector of a sovereign. The double-headed eagle crest is an allusion to the new imperial character of the monarchy, based on Essatean heraldic influences. Meanwhile the griffin supporters also allude to the imperial quality of the monarchy, being both half of a lion (king of beasts) and half of an eagle (king of birds). The griffin represents strength, military leadership and courage. The official blazon of the Royal Arms is: Vert an eagle displayed Argent legged and beaked Or langued Gules, the whole surrounded by the Garter; for a Crest, upon a Royal helm the imperial crown Proper, issuing therefrom a double-headed demi-eagle displayed Azure beaked Or langued Gules the dexter head imperially crowned Proper and the sinister head royally crowned Proper, Mantling Or and Ermine; for Supporters, a pair of griffins Azure armed and beaked Or langued gules imperially crowned Proper. History Other Variants Kings of Pyrus Interregnum 12th October 1603 to 10th February 1604 The present holder's heir apparent is his eldest son, His Royal Highness The Crown Prince Camest. Category:Pyrusian Royalty Category:Government of the Kingdom of Pyrus Category:Nations of the World (post 1788) Category:Nations of the World (pre 1788)